Tales from ground zero
by TheGreatAnimeFan
Summary: Prequel to shattered but not broken with some spoilers from Frozen in time. Sometimes pride can be the double edged sword that can destroy everything.


"Stacy. Open up." Stella's worried voice called through the locked door. "You've been cooped up in there for weeks."

"Just leave me alone!" An angry voice answered from the other side. "Why can't everyone just go away?!"

"Stacy." Her mother softly spoke with even more concern written on her face.

"Aw c'mon pumpkin." Stanley knocked on the door this time wearing his usual cheery smile. "I mean sure Bradley's gone and there's no possible way to contact him." Stella glared at him causing him to clear his throat and choose his words more carefully. "But it'll be okay sweetie. There's plenty of fish in the sea. I'm sure you'll find a new best friend."

"I don't WANT a new best friend." The voice beyond the door sounded angrier than before causing the two adults to flinch. "In fact I not only never want to have any friends ever again, but I also never want to hear that word either!"

"Well I tried." Stacy's father looked over at his semi wife and shrugged.

It had been several weeks since Bradley left Latchkey apartments, and every since then life had changed drastically for everyone, but none more so than the girl who laid curled up in a ball on her bed beyond the locked door.

Her name was Stacy Stickler, and for the nine year old there was no longer any joy or meaning in her life.

"Stupid Bradley... Stupid, insensitive, uncaring, immature Bradley." Stacy muttered to herself as she curled up tighter. As far as she was concerned every last bit of this was his fault. After everything they'd been through together. After all the good and bad times. How could he just abandon her? Not only that but she hadn't even gotten to say goodbye or anything. Instead she had been left shattered like the windows he usually hit the ball through whenever they played baseball. Looking back she could still remember the fight that started everything, which had started much like their usual banter.

_"I guess there really is no stopping it." Bradley sighed as he looked down at the street._

_"Well on the bright side." Stacy smiled as she placed a hand on Bradley's shoulder. "With you gone I won't have to worry about getting in trouble anymore because of YOUR crazy ideas."_

_"What's that supposed to mean?" Bradley angrily asked as he swatted Stacy's hand away much to her surprise._

_"I mean my life should be a lot more peaceful and normal without someone running around yelling about aliens from URANUS!" Stacy mocked the last word as she rebounded from her earlier surprise to counter back._

_"Oh I'm so sure that many of the times we landed in trouble wasn't because of YOUR schemes." He shot back._

_"What are you trying to say?" She asked appalled by her friends response._

_"I'm saying you're not as goody two shoes as you like to think." Bradley said in a snide tone. "In fact it seems to me that while you like to pretend you're oh so mature. You actually get off on causing mischief just as much as I do."_

_That had done it. If she hadn't been angry before she was now._

_"You know what B-man? I really can't wait until you're gone." Stacy clenched her fists and glared at him with angry eyes. "In fact I'm willing to bet everyone would agree with me when I say that we'd all be happy if you left and NEVER CAME BACK!"_

_"Well you're getting your wish aren't you?" Bradley yelled back just as angry. "I hope that makes you REAL happy!"_

_"Oh I'm perfectly sure I'm the happiest girl in the world." Stacy's words dripped with venom._

_"Fine! Far as I'm concerned we're no longer best friends. In fact I think I will be happy to never see your beastly face ever again!" He snapped at her before storming away._

_"FINE! Good riddance! It's not like I really needed a thorn in my side like you anyways!" Stacy called after him before stomping off in the other direction._

She felt tears welling up in her eyes just thinking about it. She of course hadn't meant any of it. It had all been a front since in her mind the thought of her best friend moving had been so devastating that tossing away her true feelings, and forging a mask of false hate seemed like the only real way to take away the pain in her heart. Even when she wanted to blame him for all the pain she was going through now she knew it hadn't been his fault. It's not like he had left her on purpose.

She slowly uncurled from the ball she was in and sat up. As she got out of bed and walked over to the mirror on her dresser she could tell that her appearance looked absolutely dreadful. Her hair was all a mess, her eyes bloodshot with dark bags under them, and her face stained from crying. Leaning one hand on the top of the dresser she used the other to try and fix her hair back into the spiky style she was known for.

As she applied the finishing touches she noticed that the image in the mirror was beginning to warp and change. Her eyes widened and she stepped back in shock as she realized the reflection looking back at her was no longer her own. Instead it was the appearance of a teenage girl who looked exactly like her in every way.

_"I'm just someone who doesn't want you to make the same mistake I did."_

The voice as well as the memory pierced her head like a knife causing her to let out a panicked yell as her hands clutched her head. That was when the realization came. It hadn't been Bradley's fault. Not at all. It was this woman... This persons fault that she was suffering right now. She had appeared in front of her on the day Bradley was leaving, and not only had that lady torn down her mental barriers, but had also made her realize the mistake she was making by throwing everything away. That's right it was her fault. If it wasn't for whoever that was she wouldn't be in a pit of never-ending misery right now. She didn't know who that woman was, but just thinking about her brought up feelings of white hot anger from within her. She absolutely hated and would never forgive this person for ruining her life.

"I warned you." A voice sounded in Stacey's mind causing her to look at the reflection of the older girl. "I warned you... I tried to give you enough time, but you didn't listen to me." The reflection was talking to her causing her eyes to widen even larger in fear. "Now he's gone and you've got no one to blame but yourself. All the pain and suffering you're going through from now on is your own fault."

"N-No..." Stacy stammered. The reflection in the mirror continued to give her a cold, emotionless stare. The woman's eyes boring deep into her soul.

"It's your fault!"

"No..."

It's YOUR fault!"

"Stop it..."

"IT'S YOUR FAULT!"

"Please!"

**"IT'S YOUR FAULT!"**

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Stacy screamed at the top of her lungs as a rage fueled fist shattered the mirror into pieces. She gripped the dresser as she breathed heavily trying to calm herself down. As her head gazed down at her hands gripping the roof of the piece of furniture she noticed that her one hand was now covered in blood. Though she felt absolutely no pain. She also noticed a puddle forming on the dresser as well. It didn't take long for her to realize that it was from the tears that were currently pouring down her face like one of those torrential rain storms.

She had been blaming everyone for her misery, but in the end she knew from deep within the confines of her heart that she was the only one at fault. If only she had been honest with her feelings from the beginning. If only she had swallowed her pride. In the end she had lost everything and was now completely alone all because of the childishness that she usually berated Bradley for.

Nothing mattered anymore to Stacy Stickler. Not anyone. Not anything. Her entire world was gone and her along with it. As she slowly sank to the floor the only sound in the room being her uncontrolled sobs. Only one thought continued to run through her mind.

Real mature Stacy...

Real mature.

**THE END**


End file.
